For those who are missing one tooth, dental implants are the clear treatment of choice. For those who are missing many or even all of their teeth, they may wonder whether dental implants are even an option for them. How many dental implants can one person have? How many missing teeth can be replaced with dental implants?

A single dental implant can replace multiple teeth

Actually, there’s no limit to how many teeth can be replaced with dental implants. Even for someone who’s missing all of their teeth, it’s possible to use implants to replace them all.

If you have multiple missing teeth, you don’t necessarily need a separate implant for every missing tooth. For example, two implants can support up to about five or six missing teeth. In general, the implants go into the sockets of the teeth at either end of the empty section; each implant is topped with a crown, and a bridge is used in between them.

Four to six implants in each jaw bone can be used to replace all of the teeth

For those who are missing all of their teeth, an entire lower denture or full bridge can be supported on as few as four implants. (Most dentists recommend using an extra implant or two if possible. When there are more implants, each one experiences less stress, which increases the probability that the implants will last a lifetime.)

For the upper jaw, more implants are usually required. This is because the upper jaw is thinner than the lower jaw, mainly due to the presence of the sinuses just above it. Because the jaw bone is thinner, each implant must be shorter (to avoid poking through into the sinuses). This means that more implants are needed in order to provide adequate stability to the teeth. A minimum of six implants are recommended to replace all of the upper teeth.

Dental implants Minden Keithville Shreveport

Dental implants can be used to replace any number of missing teeth, from just one tooth to all of the teeth. Both patients and dentists generally prefer dental implants for replacing missing teeth. They have many benefits, including being very secure and aesthetically-pleasing as well as helping to preserve the bone tissue of the jaw.

Our dentists get great results for our patients using dental implants. If you’d like to learn more, or if you’re interested in receiving one or more dental implants, please contact our office to make your appointment.